


Broken Spider (marvel)

by Karma22



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anti-Hero, Death, Different Spider, F/M, Flashbacks, Humor, Hydra (Marvel), M/M, Military, Multi, My First Work in This Fandom, POV First Person, PTSD, Posted on quotev, War, Will loosely follow the movies, firearms, slight gore, split personality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-17 10:24:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18963349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karma22/pseuds/Karma22
Summary: A broken man. A broken home. What will stop this spider's web from breaking?This is the story of another Spiderman. One older, more hardened, and knowledgeable about the world..and its horrors.





	1. Prologue

Prologue 

I swore quietly to myself, throwing my weight over the bar of the fence, and landing on the other side with a soft crunch, due to the autumn leaves on the ground. Readjusting the scarf around my mouth and nose and, letting out a breath I was holding in, I entered the geocache location. 

The building was much older than I had expected, with a decent amount of mold on the walls. It was obviously not lived in, except for maybe rats, or raccoons. I pulled off the scarf and threw on a dust mask. “I’d rather avoid mold getting into my lungs like a Molded.” I thought, trying to ease the chills I got from this place with a reference. 

I looked around the place for the spot where the cache was supposed to be. The building was incredibly dark, so I grabbed my mag light, casting a powerful beam across the darkened room. I began to search around, finding pretty much nothing on the first floor, except for rat droppings and mold. 

The last room on the first floor held nothing but an old, decayed children’s toy, facing the door with a grin. I picked it up and moved it to a corner facing away from me.

Quickly, I stopped for a second, having thought that I heard a noise. I heard a few dull footsteps above me, moving around seemingly without a pattern. Silently, I began moving towards the staircase. I wouldn’t have been worried about people normally, but given where I discovered that there is a geocache here in the first place, I wasn’t taking any chances. 

Having reached the top of the steps, I found myself at the beginning of a hall. It only leads to one door, at the very end of the hall. It was slightly ajar, and it almost seemed as though all light was absorbed by impenetrable darkness. On the ceiling, however, was seemingly a latch where a string would go to pull down, probably to lower the stairs to the attic. 

“¿Hay Alguien ahí?” (Is anyone there?) A voice asks from the room, in a heavy Spanish accent. My Spanish was a little rusty, it has been three years since I graduated high school, but I did my best to reply. 

“Si, Estoy en el pasillo.” (Yes, I’m in the hall) I say, with fluentness that surprised me. I watch as a young man, about my age, exits the room. He didn’t look dirty, or creepy in any way, which immediately calmed my nerves. I was half expecting a Jason Voorhees lookalike. 

The man, for his part, smiled and waved a small greeting. But it seemed a little...forced. “Do you speak English?” He asks, taking a few steps closer. The oddest part of that question was that his previous Spanish accent was entirely gone. This had the effect of immediately putting me on edge.

“Yes, I do. I’m assuming you’re here for the cache too?” I asked. I still had the nagging feeling that something was off, so I gently put my hands in my pockets, near my service pistol. The man nodded, but it was stiff. I got to the point of doubting this man’s intentions. “Did you find the post online too?” I asked.

“Yeah actually, I did.” He replied, smiling slightly. That was the moment I knew this guy did not have good intentions. In truth, there was no post. I was privately messaged the location by an anonymous informant. I worked a grin, but it was visibly strained. The man took note, and his smile turned into a frown. He reached into a pocket and drew a pocket knife. 

I backed up as I saw another man exit. The most terrifying part was that he wore a black ballistic vest. I quickly drew my suppressed pistol and aimed at the one with a knife. I fired a quick shot before he could even react, lodging a bullet in his head. The other man quickly drew a pipe from behind his back and knocked the gun out of my hands. I swore and ducked a swing. I drew a knife, and slashed at his arm, making him drop the pipe with a thud. 

He then punched me, knocking me to the ground and sending the knife away. It eventually lodged itself in the floor. He then got onto me, punching me repeatedly. I caught a strike and threw him off by planting my feet in his gut and pushing. 

The oddest thing that was memorable during this was that, while we were fighting, a spider crawled out of the darkness. It was blue and red and scuttled towards us. It then seemingly watched us fight. 

I was able to grab my pistol, turn, and shoot the man in the chest. He fell back down with a groan, but then threw the knife from earlier. It cut my cheek, but the adrenaline stemmed the pain to a dull ache. I then unloaded the rest of the mag into the man. Once he stopped moving, I wiped my cheek, only succeeding in smearing the blood. 

The spider then slowly crawled up my pant leg, without me knowing, and bit me. I swore loudly and threw it off. Quickly, I stomped on it, squishing it under my boots. I looked at the two bodies and sighed. Having placed my pistol back in my holster, I looked into the room. It was empty, except for a crate in the center. 

It looked like a glass animal crate, except the holes were extraordinarily tiny. It was opened slightly, a lock seemingly was broken from the inside. “Probably was the spider’s cage.” I think, before sighing and making my way back through the building. I retrieved my knife and exited the building. The cache was seemingly not there anymore. 

I hopped back over the fence and made my way back to the bike. It was just a bicycle, but it was my only form of transportation. I got on and began pedaling back home. The sun was beginning to rise, and that gave me a sense of comfort. 

“Only bad things lurked in the dark.”  
I got home and took a nice, long shower. As I washed away the dust and grime I had accumulated during the fight, and the blood on my cheek, I thought back to the two bodies. They were not likely to be found for a while and would have been eaten away at by the mold and possible rodents. I hated that it came to that, but there was nothing I could do about it. I threw on some antiseptic and a bandaid on the cut, not wanting to get it infected and have it scar my face as badly. 

Once finished, I made up a quick dinner of peas and sauerkraut pork. I jumped onto the couch and turned on the TV to watch a few of my shows. I then jumped when I got a notification from my phone. I read that it said that I received a photo from an unknown number, and nearly vomited once I saw the picture. 

It wasn’t anything that would be specifically off-putting to anyone not used to the deep web, but for me, it was terrifying. It was a picture of a room, with a familiar crate and two bodies. The room was bathed in red light, that cast ominous shadows. A caption read:

“I know what you did…”

I immediately went to my door, locking it. I deleted the photo and grabbed my pistol. I searched through the house, not finding any signs of anyone breaking or sneaking in. I relaxed, holstering my gun. I went back down, finished my food, and went back to my room. 

I fell onto the bed, nearly instantly falling into a deep slumber, blissfully unaware of the black van outside the house, taking pictures of the front door, and the window my room was in…

 

Addendum: A yawn escaped my lips as I sat up, looking around my room with the dazed expression most people have when they wake. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. As I looked in the mirror, I noticed that the bandaid was falling off. I removed it with one hand and checked to see if it was still bleeding. 

My eyes widened as I noticed that there wasn’t a trace of any cut. Letting go of my brush, I moved to touch the area. But...the toothbrush wouldn’t leave my hand...


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I breathe the morning air, the wind blowing on my face like a fan. Traffic went by below me, fifty stories down, looking like ants. I look down at the city, my city, and put my mask back on. I look through the dimmed lenses of the mask and feel myself slowly begin to lean forward.

“This is the best part…” I think to myself with a grin. Flicking on the hood of my costume, I take a deep, filtered breath, and jump off the window. 

The wind whips and rushes against me as I fall, reaching halfway to the ground before I flick my wrist. I press the buttons on my cuff and shoot out a rope of webs. It catches on the side of the building, and I use the momentum to fling myself forward, the rope creating a snap. Using the one on my other wrist in tandem, I swing from building to building, spinning and flipping through the air.

The wind howls every time I get low, nearly touching the roofs of cars and buses below me. I let out a joyful laugh, never not having fun when swinging around the city. It was an adrenaline rush like no other (except maybe combat). The wind rushing, the nearness of the street, the mear action of shooting the webs sent me into a good mood. 

After around a half hour (The watch on my wrist helping me keep track), I feel my muscles begin to tire. “And now for the worst part,” I mutter with a hint of sadness. Swinging onto a rooftop, I duck and roll to a stop, feeling the gravel crunch under my weight. I stand with a grunt of pain, wiping away the gravel in my waist. 

Taking a moment to relax, I stretch my limbs, releasing a groan as a joint popped. The air was warm, luckily, and it began to make me relax. I silently thank Njord for blessing this day. Looking around, I spot the electric billboards of Time’s square. Personally, I always had found it to be the best part of the city. 

The sight of it nearly made me want to swing over, and just sit and look at all of the flashing screens. Then I remember I was in my costume still, and immediately feel myself slip into a foul mood. “Oh, there ain’t no rest for the wicked,” I say to myself with a hint of anger. 

I paused for a moment, sensing...something. The hairs on the back of my neck and arms stood on end, and I unslung the rifle from my back. Scanning around the surroundings, I aim down the scope of the rifle. The illuminated cross helped me pinpoint a...flash.

I swore loudly and rolled behind some vents as darts embedded themselves where I once stood. I look at them with mild surprise, looking at the blue liquid running out of the cracked glass. Using the reflections of the glass, I saw something that made me shit myself.

There was a group of twenty people on the surrounding rooftops, all armed with rifles. They all had red octopus symbols on armbands, the arms reaching out like they were grasping at everything. I shiver and charge the handle of my gun. I pop out of cover, firing a few shots before going back into cover.

This action rewards me with screams of agony and bodies dropping onto the gravel. I look at a pouch on me, before taking out a smoke grenade. Throwing it over the vents I was using for cover, I hear the pop and red smoke begins to fill the area. “Three down, seventeen to go,” I mutter, before shooting the top of the vents with my web shooter and flipping over them. I finally turn on thermal vision In the air, and fire off a few shots, watching as heads snapped back and red mist spurt out of them.

I land on top of one and roll off of them. Bashing one in the face as I shoot the other one with a web to the arms, pinning them like a mummy. I yank the gun out of another’s hand and spin him around. I pin their arm behind their back as others fire at me. Using the man as a shield, I hold up my rifle and use his back as a brace as I shoot five others.

I flick out the magazine, dropping the dart-filled body of the man, before jumping upwards, dodging the darts sent my way. I land, rolling and socking one in the jaw, before taking out the knife in my wrist sheath. I slit a throat, before stabbing another in the chest.

Thanking the gods most abandoned their dart guns (probably due to not being able to hit their bloody target), I throw the knife into another’s eye, before finally grabbing a dart gun and pumping the last one full of darts. I look over the bodies, breathing heavily as I realize all of the destruction I just caused. 

I grab my rifle, reloading it, also ripping out my knife. Walking back to the one that was webbed, I draw my pistol. I kneel in front of him, pointing the barrel at his head. “Alright buddy, time for a few...questions,” I say, looking at him. He spits at my mask, hitting the lens. Wiping it off, I look at him in annoyance. “Alright then. I’ll give you one chance to answer me: who do you work for?” I demand.

The man snarled at him, before speaking two words that shocked me. “Hail Hydra.” He said, before clamping his jaw. White froth spilled from his mouth, and he fell limp. I look at the corpse with contempt and kick it. 

“Gods blood…” I mutter in anger. Quickly bottling up my frustration, I turn and begin to swing away as the shrieks of police sirens begin approaching. I fling myself forward, needing to get away. 

Landing on a rooftop, I sigh and yank off my mask. Moving a strand of black hair away from my eyes, I sit on the gravel. Looking down at the painted gas mask in my now shaking hands, I hold in a yell of fury. I tug at my hair, trying to keep calm. 

You see, I am the unluckiest man alive. I have split personality disorder. This makes being a crime fighter difficult, given that at any moment, I could turn...cold and kill someone I was meaning to keep alive. I do not have a name for the other personality, and it mostly comes out during and after combat.

I sigh, the anger seeping out of me. I look at the mask, its red lenses and white painted spider face, feeling a sense of...power from it. I put it back on, and take a deep breath. I stand back up and check my rifle. It was perfectly fine, but the stock has spots of blood.

I wipe them off idly, before finally slinging it over my shoulder, and beginning to swing away. I eventually end up behind my apartment in an alley and begin stipping my costume off. I take off the mask, ballistic vest, and hoodie. I look around for the duffel bag I had left nearby and finally find it. Putting on a green hoodie and putting the costume in the bag, I enter the apartment swiftly and sigh softly.

Looking around with a small smile, I throw the bag onto the floor and look around for my wallet. Grabbing It, I pause at seeing the television. A news story was on, talking about reported gunfire in downtown New York. I swear even louder when I see that it’s swarming with federal agents...including Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. S.H.I.E.L.D.

“Son of a…” I mutter, before turning the television off. To be honest, I don’t remember leaving the channel on the news, but that was the least of my worries. I exited the apartment and began walking to the coffee show a few blocks away. 

I pass people, keeping my head down, being paranoid. That tends to happen when a Nazi organization from world war two tries to kidnap you and forces a government organization to start snooping. I bump into someone and look back. “Sorry, ma’am,” I say to the pretty redhead in front of me. 

She looked at me in surprise and smiled. “It’s not a problem.” She says cheerfully, before walking in the opposite direction. I watch her walk away, getting an...odd feeling about her. But I turn and walk away, reaching the coffee shop, and order a black coffee. I sit down, sipping it as I look over the patrons curiously. It was rather packed, more so than usual. 

I spot mostly men, all mostly young but...there were two older men. One with a surprisingly welcoming appearance, looking almost like a guy one would like to have a beer with. The other had a very stern air, and the most defining feature was the eyepatch.

I turn my eyes back to the drink, sipping it in a desperate attempt to calm his nerves. I look back up as the door opens again, and the redhead from earlier enters. She was in, you guessed it, a Shield uniform. I swear silently. The redhead glances and stands near my table as the two men approach.

Today is a fun day to be sure.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spider gets caught in a web

Chapter 2

 

“Mr. Grey.” The nicer, non-eye patched one says with a welcoming smile. He sits across from me. I asses him quickly for any threatening mannerisms. Surprisingly, I couldn’t detect any, although I’m sure he is armed. I sip my drink calmly, before nodding a greeting. “Agent.” is all I say in response. He gains a somewhat impressed look, probably due to me figuring out what was happening.

His associate looks at the redhead. “Report, Agent Romanoff?” He asks in a serious tone fitting his serious demeanor. Widow shakes her head. “The street is closed off. No one is getting in.” She said, before taking a glance at me. I get the second meaning of the sentence and nod. 

The man looked at me and sat next to the other. “I’m going to skip the pleasantries. I’m sure you know why we are here. Your little gunbattle wasn’t exactly discrete.” He says, looking me dead in the eye. I shrug, deciding to play dumb. “Oh, I saw that news report on shots. I assume you’ve finally found your man?” I reply.

The other man decided to break the growing tension. “Mr. Grey, this is Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury. I am Phil Coulson. We know what happened on that rooftop.” Phil said with what seemed to be an attempt at a comforting smile. I nod to him in appreciation. “Pleasure to meet you. And I guess there is no hiding it then.” I mutter the last part to myself, before straightening. 

“Do you know the organization that attacked you?” Fury asks, before continuing on without a pause. “They were HYDRA. A Nazi research group formed in world war two to study and develop superweapons. They were thought to have been destroyed by Captain America during world war two. Now they all of a sudden return and attempt to capture you.” He said, taking a lecturing tone. 

I nod along with him. “For what reason, I couldn’t tell you, however, that seems to be less than why you are here. Given the armed guard detail and snipers on the roof.” I say, motioning outside and towards the roofs. Phil looks surprised when I say this, while Widow looks somewhat impressed. Fury, however, merely looks at me without a note of emotion. “This is true.” He says, before pulling out a rather large file. I look at it, including the SHIELD eagle symbol on the front.

Fury opens it and began to read off the contents. “Mason Alexander Grey. Or as the public knows you, the Wolf Spider. The age is twenty-four. Brown hair and one brown eye. The other is green with blue specks. Served in the national guard. Known medical history: Heterochromia, Split personality disorder, and hospital visits for broken knuckles and bruised knees. No living relatives. Religion is known to be Norse. The power set is the ability to climb walls, jump higher, increased strength.” he sets the envelope down.

“Of bloody course, they have a full file. Allfather, guide me.” I think to myself. I look at them, including Romanoff. “So. You know everything about me then?” I ask curiously. It was Phil that spoke next. “Well...We don’t know why you seem to enjoy fighting crime or...how you gained your powers,” he said, looking at me with reserved expectancy.

I lean back in the booth. “I’m not sure why I fight. But I was bitten by a spider in a house. Two people were guarding it. The case was unmarked, and looked decently high tech.” I say. Fury nods. “Spider is dead, I assume.” he doesn’t phrase it as a question. I nod, finishing my coffee with a sigh. “So, the question is: what to do with you?” Phil muttered, trying to think.

I sigh, and glace at Romanoff. She was in a relaxed position but could draw her gun in an instant. Running was not an option for me. It was Fury who spoke next. “Do you know of the Avengers?” He says while pulling out another file. My jaw drops in shock, not having expected that

Romanoff has a shocked expression and seems like she is about to argue. Phil shoots her a glare, before turning back to me. “Well, she obviously doesn’t like me.” I think to myself, sipping my now cold coffee.

He hands it to me, and I begin to read it. I was in shock that I was being offered a chance, irrelevant of how small it was, to join the Avengers. The group of superheroes that have protected the world time after time. Reading through all of it, I see all of the battles they have gone through, and many of the benefits (Like a brochure for a vacation) of joining. I set down the file with a resigned sigh.

“Well, I don’t seem to have a lot of options...I'll join.” I say, holding my hand out for Fury to shake. Fury did and smiled. “You have just become a part in a much larger world.” he says, before standing. Phil does the same, before looking at me. 

“You won’t regret this. You are now an official member of shield.” he said, before nodding to Nat. She sighs, and motions for me to stand. I stand up and exit the coffee shop. Nat was following behind me and finally said something. “You do know you can’t back out of this, right?” she asks in a curious tone.

“Yes. But I didn’t see a lot of choices.” I say, looking at the rooftops and waving sarcastically to the snipers. Nat nods, mostly to herself. “True. But I’m sure you’ll do fine. All you have to do is stroke Tony’s ego and he’ll treat you like a favorite pet.” She joked, walking alongside me. 

“Great. I’ll act like a good little spider, and when he touches me, I won’t bite.” I mutter sarcastically, walking towards my apartment. She follows me, laughing slightly. “That will be...difficult with Tony. Steve isn’t an issue, and will probably set him straight if he needs to.”

I end up at my apartment and open the door. I enter, holding the door open for Widow. “I’m assuming I should get into costume? First impressions, and all of that?” I ask, grabbing the duffel bag containing it. Nat nods, looking at the bag.

I take out the rifle and quickly swap into my costume. I put on the mask, and look at Widow who was nodding. “Not bad. At least it will protect you from small arms.” she says to herself. I smile under the mask and finish up. “Where to?” I ask.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spider meets the heroes

Chapter 3

The vehicle I was being transported in was discreet, luckily. It was a simple black SUV with tinted windows and marked out license plates. Nat got into the passenger seat, and I got into the back, putting the bag containing what few items I needed next to me. Shield was going to transport the rest of my property to the Tower when I was settled in.

The rumble of the engine helped calm my nerves and worries about meeting the world’s heroes. These were the guys that defeated Loki and his army, which I still didn’t know how to feel about, given that he was a god. There was also Thor...who would probably send me into a worshipping mess, with him also being one of my gods.

There was Captain America, aka Steve Rogers. The loyal and heroic leader of the Avengers. He may not provide them with weapons and vehicles, nor pay for many expenses. But he is considered the moral and literal leader of the group. He was a true patriot and a fellow soldier. He was the man I looked up to when I joined the national guard.

The billionaire playboy philanthropist himself, Tony Stark. Originally the global leader of arms manufacturing and development. It allowed him to run Stark industries. This mostly changed after an explosion and subsequent capture in Afghanistan gave him a new outlook on life (supposedly). He created a suit that allowed him to save lives. After revealing that he was Iron man, he dedicated more time to his heroics than his company. 

Hawkeye. Surprisingly, there is very little we know about him. We know that he was a Shield agent that joined the Avengers. He supposedly doesn’t have any powers, but some of the shots he’s made with a bow kinda make me doubt that. We also know his name: Clint Barton.

Then the Mysterious Black Widow, aka Natasha Romanoff. Her past is even more shadowed, with barely anything known. No birth record or real past. She similarly doesn’t have powers but is a combat master. She defeats her opponents with pure skill and talent.

Finally, Bruce Banner. Also known as the Incredible Hulk. A genius, soft-spoken scientist, he is the powerhouse of the team. After a lab accident awoken his inner beast, he has been stuck in a Jekyll and Hyde situation. But the hulk can be a great asset to the team when in control. 

These people are who I'm going to meet (excluding Widow). And I am silently shitting myself. Compared to them, I am an insignificant speck in a large ocean. It will be a hell of a challenge to impress them.

Watching the Avengers tower pull into view, I take a deep breath and put on the gas mask. Nat looks at me from the passenger seat and smirks. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just be yourself and Steve will like you. Stroke Tony’s ego and he’ll be fine. Bruce will be fine no matter what, just don’t piss him off. Try not to grovel at Thor, I know you think he’s a god, but he acts like any normal human. Hawkeye is also fine as long as you keep up with his jokes and sarcasm.” She said, trying to be helpful.

I nod as we pull into the parking lot. We get out, getting a few looks from passerby until they see the famous Black widow. Soon, a large crowd gathers around us, probably wanting pictures of the Widow and this new person carrying weapons and in a costume. Security rushes out, clearing a path for us to the tower. “The team is all on the top floor. Let’s get to the elevator and head up.” Nat said, entering next to me.

We walk to the restricted zone, which was blocked so the Avengers had a direct way to the top floors with their rooms and areas. I was stopped from entering by the second most famous red-head in the world: Pepper Potts. “Excuse me, but no one is allowed up there except for the Avengers.” She said nervously, probably due to the gas mask and weapon I was carrying on my holster. 

Nat stepped over. “Its okay Pepper. He’s with me.” She said. Pepper let me go at once, offering an apology which I waved off. “It's fine. But you should probably get used to me coming.” I say before following Nat. She opens the elevator and we step inside.

As we travel up, I try to straighten my appearance. It gave me something to focus on instead of the sinking feeling in my gut. Nat noticed this and chuckled. “Don’t like elevators?” she asked, which only made me nod. I was fine with heights, just not elevators. I nearly jump when I hear a silky smooth British voice say “Welcome, Ms. Romanoff. Hello, guest.” And the doors open up.

 

I debate on hiding behind Nat but decide to take the first step. I enter what seemed to be a giant living room, along with a bar. The Avengers are all in casual clothing and look over to me and Nat who is next to me. Immediately, Tony says aloud “Security Breach.” And everyone stands. I look at each of them and silently wish I wasn’t there. 

Nat finally breaks the tension. “Everyone, this is Mason Alexander Grey. He is also known as the Wolf spider. And he is our newest member.” She says while nudging me. I take the cue and remove the gas mask from my face. My green and brown eyes look at them all. “It’s an honor to meet all of you.” I say, being formal because of how powerful and respected they all were. And it doesn’t hurt to be humble to a god.

Clint snorts and flings a paper plate into a distant trash can. “Dude, you look like you’re about to shit yourself.” He said with a chuckle. Everyone else bursts out laughing, even Thor. My ears turn red with embarrassment, but I roll with it and reply “Honestly, I think I am.” with a grin. They all howl with laughter, and I relax. 

They all sit back down except Tony, who is giving me an analytical look. He walks over, grabbing something from the counter. He then tries to poke my arm with a small needle. Except that he didn’t expect me to grab it before it reached my arm and bending it like it was nothing. “I’d rather you not do that, Stark.” I say.

The others seem mildly surprised. Tony scowls and begins to circle around me. “So, what did they offer you? A house in Malibu? A cool million?” he asks suddenly but does a hand wave. “Actually, JARVIS! Get me all the data you can on-” He was quickly cut off by Steve. “Tony! He has the right to privacy.” He said, looking at me. I nod in appreciation while Tony shrugs. Nat motions for me to walk over, and I do, sitting down. 

It’s Thor who talks next. “So, Why did Sir Fury let you join?” He asks curiously. I try to keep myself composed, given that a god just asked me a question. “Well, It’s because HYDRA attempted to capture me recently. I didn’t have a lot of safe options.” I answer.

Steve snaps his head to me. “Really? Why did they want you?” to which I could only answer with “I’m not sure. I guess my powers and maybe my training.” before I sense someone behind me. I leap up, now on the ceiling. Tony was behind where I just was with another needle, apparently having had his ego bruised. Everyone lets out swears and words of shock, along with two “Odin’s beard!”s coming from Thor and Me. Although, mine was more of annoyance than anything else.

 

They all looked at me, and I shrugged. “One of my powers.” I say, dropping down and landing on the tiptoes, my knees spread and my arms reaching down to support this stance. Thor then asked an unexpected question. “You...are Norse?” he asks, a brow raised. I nod, standing up. “Well, I believe in the gods, yes. Freya, Frey, Odin, Thor, Loki, Heimdall. All of them.” I say, leaving Thor surprised. 

Tony broke the eventual silence. “Anything else you want us to know?” he asks. “I’m ex-national guard.” I reply, noticing Steve’s grin. Nat facepalms. “Now you’re going to be stuck in Steve’s group.” She warns me. I assume Steve has a group of vets he talked to. Steve nods, almost as though he read my mind. 

“Oh, story time! Alright Spider, what’s the bloodiest battle you’ve been in?” Tony pries, jumping over the couch and sitting. “Tony!” Steve snaps, but I wave a hand. “It’s fine Steve. But I guess it’s the time I took a direct hit with an RPG over in Afghanistan.” I say nonchalantly. A collective “WHAT!?” rings out from everyone, the loudest from Banner, who seemed shocked. “That’s medically impossible!” He protested. I grin, before looking at them all. “Someone get me a towel. Hope you aren’t too queasy.” I say while Clint throws me one. 

I search a pouch and pull out my knife. I remove my glove and roll up my sleeve. I then cut a long line down my arm, making sure It was deep. It stings a little, but at this point, I am desensitized to the pain. They all gasp, blood spurting on the towel. Nat panics, about to call medical attention when I stop her. After a moment, the wound closes entirely, not even leaving a scar. They all look flabbergasted as I roll down my sleeve. “Healing factor.” Is all I say as I lean back.

“That’s...powerful.” Nat mutters pretty much-voicing everyone’s thoughts. I shrug when Thor stands up. “Now that we have gotten the pleasantries out of the way, I think it’s time we test your mettle.” He says. Everyone nods and stands up, me included. I begin to follow them, entering a large gym with a fighting arena in the center. I quickly shed my armor until I’m wearing my black t-shirt and sweatpants. 

Thor was the first one to jump into the ring, a confident smile on his face. “Sir Grey, I challenge you to a fight.” He said, beckoning me over. I nod hesitantly and jump in. He takes a very relaxed combat stance, obviously not expecting much of a fight. I take my military style MMA position and wait for him to make the first move. Everyone else was watching from the sides, cheering mostly for Thor. But Steve and Nat both cheer for me. 

Thor finally throws a right hook, which I easily duck under and counter with a few punches to his ribs. This throws him off balance due to the sheer strength I use, and it makes his retaliatory left hook slow and sloppy. I decide to be a little showy, and simply catch the punch with my left hand, and kick out with my right leg. Wrapping the leg around his arm, I jump and use my leverage to throw him to the ground, me landing safely. Thor groans, and sits up. “Allfather, teach me never to underestimate you again.” He grumbled, getting out of the arena.

Up next was Cap, who got into a boxer’s stance. He was much more ready than Thor was, and didn’t make the first move. I grinned, and ran at him, slipping between his legs and behind him. I kicked myself up, roundhousing him in the back. He was sent running forward but used the ropes of the arena to launch himself back, throwing a punch into my ribs. A nasty crack was heard as several ribs broke. Nat gasped, But I didn’t even fall. I was used to pain. 

I used the chance to hook my leg around Steve’s, making him fall backward with me on top of him. I then threw a punch, connecting with his jaw and making him go limp. He groaned in pain, and I got off him, offering a hand. Taking it, He grabbed his jaw and snapped it back into place, taking it like a champ. He nodded at me.

Nat called out from the sides. “How the hell did you not even flinch Mason?” She demanded, making me chuckle as I felt my ribs heal. “An RPG doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as that punch did, but I’m used to pain.” I say, which makes her frown. I hopped out of the ring, a triumphant smile on my face at having beaten two of the Avengers. 

They all congratulate me, some clapping me on the back. All except a certain playboy, who was nowhere to be seen. “Uhh...where is Tony?” Nat asks, looking around as the doors open and out steps the man himself. In his suit. I can hear the smirk in his voice as he asks “We aren't done yet, right?” and walks into the ring. 

“Tony! What are you doing?” Steve asks as I get in. “Don’t get your pants in a twist, old timer. I’m just doing my own test on the new kid.” He replies as he gets into a relaxed position. I shrug, and get into a boxer’s position, ready for the fight. Tony immediately blast me with his repulsors, which sends me flying back. 

Using my web shooters, I hit his faceplate and pull myself back, kicking him as I flip off of him, getting another repulser for my troubles. Continuing to shoot him, I web his arms together, which makes him look down. “Jesus kid, what is this stuff?” He asks, unable to rip the webbing. I perch on a corner of the ring. “Just web fluid I designed. It can survive extreme heat, cold, and is nearly impossible to tear unless an insane amount of kinetic energy is applied.” I say with a little pride.

 

Tony struggles for a little longer but gives up with a sigh. “Can you get it off me?” He asks, and I pull out a small vile. I place it within the web shooters and spray the liquid inside onto the webbing. It dissolves, freeing Tony’s arms. He bends them, nodding to himself. 

I turn, surprised that everyone was cheering and clapping. “I think you’ll be a good addition to the team.” Steve said with a grin, with everyone else nodding in agreement. I smile, happier than I have been in a long time. Tony slapped his hand on my shoulder, similarly smiling. But...something in me flips. 

“Shit...Tony get back!” I say, but my eyes...they become clouded.

The other guy just took control.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spider wakes up to find himself in a...awkward situation

Chapter 4

 

A groan escapes my lips, but it quickly turns into a grimace when my head begins to pound. It feels like I was just hit in the back of the head with a blunt object. I try to raise my hands to hold my head, but they seem to not be able to move. I reluctantly open my eyes, and look around the room, or should I say container, I’m in.

It seems to be all glass, with only a few sporadic cracks. The ceiling is decently lit, and the floor is all white. After a few moments, whatever was holding my hands clicked, and I lifted them up with a groan. Rubbing my head, I sit up, only now noticing all of the armed guards and the Avengers outside, along with Director Nick Fury. “Oh Christ...Did anyone-” I begin to ask, but Fury raises a hand and cuts me off.

“Luckily, no one is dead. But given how you plowed through most of the Tower, we are very lucky indeed. Now for a few questions.” He said while looking directly at me with his good eye. “What the hell was that? Why did you suddenly attack Stark and try to kill everyone in your path?” He asks.

I swear audibly and begin to explain as best I could. “I have split personality disorder, That...was him.” I say, sitting on the bed. “It’s like Doctor Banner. A bit of good old Jekyll and Hyde.” I add. Bruce looks visibly sick, probably realizing they have what amounts to a second Hulk. “Stark must have pissed him off.”

Fury nods, accepting that answer. The Avengers all look at each other, wondering what to do in this situation. Nat most of all looks conflicted and looks at me with a mixture of pity and...a little fear. I look down, feeling a wave of shame wash over me. I felt like a freak. A monster. “So...what now?” I ask Fury quietly. 

“Well, we are going to have Stark run a blood test, see if there is a cure or something for suppression we can make. We are also going to have to keep you on watch to make sure another incident doesn’t occur. Otherwise, you won’t be punished for something out of your control.” He says, opening the door to the cell. I stand and exit it, my eyes still downwards as I’m lead to a room in the Tower. I enter it and quickly close the door behind me.

Looking around, I take in the expense in the room. A walk-in closet already stocked with clothes in my size and tastes. A large bed. A television along with a computer. I peek inside the bathroom, noticing how large it was. It was also stocked with cleaning supplies and towels. 

 

I grab a pair of boxers, some pants and socks and jump into the shower. I make the water scalding hot, the way I like it and quickly clean myself off, trying to forget the look of fear on all of their faces. Stepping out, I quickly throw on the clothes and walk out to look for a shirt. I grab and put on some tan combat boots I find and turn, looking at Nat who apparently entered without me noticing. She looked at me, a hint of a blush on her face. I wonder why until remembering my lack of a shirt, showing all of my scars. I blush slightly and clear my throat. 

This breaks the silence, and Natasha quickly says “We are having dinner in the living room. It pizza night.” before quickly leaving. I stifle a laugh at the comical nature of it all and look in the closet. At the end is two uniforms. One is my spider suit and the other...my military combat uniform from my days in Afghanistan. I look at it with a bit of nostalgia and put it on. I leave the helmet and backpack, along with the armor plates on the stand. Exiting, I walk out and towards the living room.

I enter to the sight of everyone relaxing, eating pizza and drinking soda. Smiling slightly, I walk over and sit down, stealing a slice of pineapple pizza that Steve was going to grab. Everyone looks at me in surprise, but Clint chuckles, breaking the tension. “Really? That is the goofiest thing ever.” He says, taking a bite of his sausage pizza. I pout and ask “What’s so goofy?”

“The fact a man in MCUs just stole a piece of pizza from a world war two vet. And pineapple no less!” Tony says, making a fake gagging face. Everyone laughs, including Thor who pounds the table. Me and Steve both groan and exclaim “Pineapple is an awesome topping!” At the same time, making everyone laugh more and some fake gag.

Finishing the piece I had, I lean back while using my web shooters to bring me a coke. Tony raises a brow. “Really? You couldn’t walk a few feet?” He asks with mirth. “Really? You need Pepper to bring you drinks and run your own company?” I counter, making some people go “ooooh!”. He pouts and sips his alcohol.

“Fuck off puppy spider.” Tony says with an air of a child calling someone a “Poopy head”. Steve scowls and mutters “language.” under his breath. Everyone laughs, including me. I feel much more relaxed around these people, and decide to ask Bruce something. “Hey, Since you are pretty much the stereotypical nerdy type, do you play Dungeons and Dragons?” 

Bruce groans, but meekly replies with “Yes.”. I smirk as the others laugh. “Awesome man! I always loved that game. What edition?” I ask with a giddy smile spreading. Bruce similarly smiles and leans back. “Three point five. You?” he responds, and I simply high five him. Natasha rolls her eyes, muttering something about boys.

As me and Bruce proceeded to geek out, talking about all of the races and our favorite classes (Mine is a human fighter. All those feats help), Thor passes me a drink. “Some Asgardian ale I brought from home.” he explains, and I have to physically resist the pants-shitting urge. I open my mouth to politely decline, but the look on his face is insistent. All eyes are on me as I take a sip, surprisingly it tasted like honey and oddly chocolate chip cookies. 

Thor looks at me, as though searching for some type of effect. I drink it down and look at them all. “What?” I ask when I see their scandalous looks. Clint is kind enough to explain. “Dude, all of us except Steve all got super hammered when we drank that stuff. And you down it like it was nothing!” He exclaims with a hint of playful jealousy. Everyone else nods in agreement. I simply shrug, and say “Well, other than having a fantastic metabolism, I always had a good constitution. Mostly because I used to drink a lot.” 

Everyone accepts the answer, except Steve. “You are an alcoholic?” He asks with a disapproving tone. Shrugging, I take a sip of soda. “I used to be. Helped take my mind off...a lot of things before I got my powers and stopped.” I say, finishing up. Steve nods, probably knowing a thing or two about what I meant.

The party from there was fine, with Clint showing off his aim when throwing a dart from across the room and hitting a bullseye on the target. Bruce and me continuing to geek out over things we have in common. I was even able to have a pretty nice talk with Thor and Nat. I then yawn and announce “I’m heading to bed guys. Goodnight.” getting a few good nights in return. I walk along the halls and enter my room. I walk over to the bed and fall on it, immediately falling asleep.

In the morning, I sit up and sigh quietly. I walk into the bathroom and take a shower, washing and getting into some clean clothes. I adjust the sleeves of the red flannel and walk out of the room quietly. I glance around, realizing it was early in the morning. I almost trip as I realize Clint is sitting next to the door, dead asleep with his bow in hand. It doesn’t take a genius to tell that he was probably on watch in case I snapped again. 

I walk down the hall and enter the living room/bar/kitchen/giant room with everything in it along with the giant windows overlooking New York. I walk to the kitchen, spotting Steve who is sipping coffee. I nod to him, getting a nod of greeting in return as I make my own cup of coffee. I add milk, sugar, and some honey into my coffee and lean against the counter while taking a sip.

“So, I guess the two soldiers wake up at the same time, eh?” I say with a joking tone. “I guess so. I’ve slept most of my life, so It feels natural to wake up early, drink some coffee and go on a run.” He replies with a smile as he takes a sip. I nod in agreement, drinking my own cup. We strike up a pretty good conversation about our service in the military, the weapons we used, and the music nowadays compared to Steve’s time.

“How does Clint take his coffee?” I ask Steve, wanting to do something nice for him. “Three cubes of sugar with a little milk.” He answers. I quickly make it and walk back down the hall to a now-awake Clint. I hand him the cup, and he grins. “Guess I’m shitty at guarding. You got out right under my nose!” He says as he takes a sip, but I can tell he isn’t too beat up about it.

Grinning, I lean on the wall with my arms crossed across my chest. “Nah, you’re just shit at staying awake.” I counter with sarcasm and watch as Clint laughs. “Finally someone who can be a little snarky and not be a dick!” He says while finishing his coffee. 

Tony peeks around the corner as he says this, and asks “Did someone say my name?” making us chuckle. “What are you guys all doing awake and in the hall? It’s six a.m.!” Nat says with annoyance as she opens her door. We all look at her and bust out laughing. 

 

“What?” She asks with confusion evident on her face as I look away with embarrassment. “You’re wearing only a hello kitty shirt, Nat.” Clint says while laughing. She looks over herself, swearing. She went back into her room and came out wearing pants. Her face is beet red and she hides her embarrassment with a pout. 

“Thank god that shirt was long, could have been a lot worse.” I comment as I look back at them. Tony snorts and retorts with “Really? You probably would die for the opportunity to see her ass.” making Steve shout from the kitchen “Language!”. I blush and shake my head profusely while looking away. 

 

They all laugh and we walk into the living room, which now has Bruce on the couch reading a book on quantum mechanics. I walk behind him and look at the pages, raising a brow. “Why are you reading about the newest episode of gravity falls in Theoretical Continuum?” I ask, making him throw the book away as hard and fast as he could. As everyone laughs, he meekly mutters something about having an appearance to maintain. 

We all spread out over the couches, with Clint hanging upside down as Nat pokes his head with her toe. Steve is alone on the one nearest to the elevator, apparently waiting for someone to arrive. Thor is eating pop tarts while Tony sneakily tries to poke him with an electric prod. I talk to Banner about my web material, not giving a whole lot of details about how to make or destroy it. Suddenly, the elevator makes a ding, and they open to reveal a familiar face. “Sam!” I yell, standing up and running over to my longtime friend.

 

Everyone looks at me in surprise, including Steve and Sam. But Sam grins and hugs me. “It’s damn good to see you Mason, but why are you here?” he asks in confusion as we pull away. Steve looks between us and asks the million dollar question. “Uh...how do you know each other?”

Sam decides to explain. “Well, Back in the air force, I was a part of a pararescue group. I served during the war on terror along with Mason here. Well, Mason was stuck in an ambush and got separated from his squad, which was later discovered to have been killed. He was able to escape and was stuck in the desert. He called for rescue, and me and my wingman Riley were sent over. This...was the mission Riley died. Well, I was able to save Mason’s ugly ass using the Falcon suit and got him back to base.” He says, walking over and sitting on the couch.

I pick up where he left off and continue. “We became fast friends and talked a lot on base. Last I saw this bastard, he was leaving the military to join Vet’s affairs. I served a while longer and then left. We talked on the phone from time to time, but it had been a while since we last talked.” I finish with a sigh. Everyone was looking between us, and everyone smiled slightly. “Steve is going to drag you into the meetings now.” Tony comments, and we all know it is the truth.

Steve and Sam are grinning and I outwardly groan at the two, muttering about them being a married couple at this point. Everyone laughs, and I decide to slip out for a moment. I come back in wearing my MCU’s and smile at Sam’s surprise. “Yeah. Apparently Stark is good for something after all.” I say, much to Tony’s annoyance. “I am good for a lot of things!” he says indignantly, making everyone roll their eyes.

We all talk for a long time, mostly me and Sam catching up on everything we missed. He talked about the group he runs and writes the time and address for the next meeting, which I take with a smile. I feel...almost at home with these people. They all seem like normal people, irrelevant of how the media portrays them and the heroic feats they have achieved.

Tony finally clears his throat. “Uh...I forgot to mention something. We are having a press conference tomorrow. We kinda need to introduce the spiderling here as a new member.” He says, the last part heavy with sarcasm. This earns him a middle finger from me as I lean back. Everyone nods, but Bruce looks a little worried. “What about...the other guy? Not me, but him.” he says while motioning to me.

“I’m going to be surrounded by some of the strongest beings on this planet, including a literal god. And you’ll be in suit with your weapons. I think you can handle me.” I say to ease his worries. Bruce nods to me, accepting the point. “Well, this is most certainly going to be interesting.” Sam comments, leaning against a pillar. 

We continue to talk until Clint, who apparently slipped out came back into the room. His arms are full of Chinese food, and he sets it down on the kitchen counters. He then begins to throw food at all of us, apparently knowing what everyone would want except me. He holds up a container to me. “It lo mein. Want it? I think we also have some leftover egg-” He was cut off when I use my shooters to grab the container and pull it to me. I also grab a fork from Nat, who is about to eat. She pouts at me as I grin. “You little thief!” she whined and got another fork. 

We all chuckle, and I notice Thor who winks at me with a glint in his eyes. I duck my head down in embarrassment and ignore him. We begin to eat, enjoying our food as we make small talk with the people near to us. It was almost as though we were one big family, just talking. Eventually, as the night winds down (After I steal everyone’s egg rolls and jump onto the ceiling to avoid Tony and Clint’s fury), we all begin to retire to our rooms, knowing that there was a long day ahead of us. Sam also gives us a farewell as he returns home. 

I head to my room, Nat following me. We are both quiet and I decide to break the silence. “So Nat, how does it feel being the only girl in the Avengers?” I ask curiously. I doubt there is any sexism from her friends (Except Tony, but he is very sarcastic in it and I know he doesn’t mean what he says.). She shrugs and begins to share her thoughts on it. “It’s kinda an honor, really. Not being surrounded by the guys, but being a part of a team that is doing such good for the world. It’s like we are a family. A very dysfunctional family, but still a family.” She says.

I nod, completely understanding her logic. “How do you feel?” She asks me suddenly. I try to think about it, searching for the right answer. “This is like a dream. I never would have thought I would join the Avengers. Everyone paints you guys out to basically be mythical figures, as though you are above everyone. But you are all just regular people doing a part-time job as a group of superheroes.” I say after a while, opening the door to my room. Nat has a contemplating look, but smiles at me as posts up across from the door, ready to keep watch. “Goodnight Mason.” She says, and I also say “Goodnight.”

I enter my room and close the door, getting down into my boxers and crashing onto my bed, hoping for a peaceful sleep.

 

Nothing is ever that easy.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

“Hey Joker, wake up.” A voice said, rousing me from my sleep. I looked around the barracks and frowned at Gator. I sat up while rubbing my eyes. “What now Gator?” I asked in a tired voice, standing up. Gator rolled his eyes in annoyance. This was routine for us. He would always wake me up at times where I was both most likely to strangle him and was too lazy to do it. “We got a mission. Squads five and six are deploying to protect a convoy. That’s all I know.” He said. It was then I noticed he was in full combat gear. 

 

I quickly got dressed in my armor, and grab my M4. We both make our way down to the motor pool of the base, needing to link up with Sparrow and Parrot. We were all a part of Squad 5. There was me, Gator, Parrot, Sparrow, Sergeant Donald (Secretly nicknamed Daffy), and Frosty. We all met back in basic while we were training, and kinda became friends. Donald was able to pull a few strings, and we all were formed into a squad.

Gator was named that due to the fact he claims that, once when he was growing up in Florida, he had wrestled an Alligator. His real name was David O'Brien. Everyone thought he was full of shit, but he always swore it was true. One day we just called him Gator, and It stuck. He was a dirty blonde, and we kinda looked similar. The main difference was that he had green eyes, And I had a brown one and a green one with blue specks. He was basically my brother.

Sparrow was the support gunner of our squad. His real name was Jacob Shavers. He got his name when he accidentally let a sparrow into our barracks. He is normally kinda wimpy, a pacifist when out of combat. But that would change in combat, where he became a fighting machine. He was covered in freckles, but that didn’t hinder the amount of fire he could pour down range with an M249.

Frosty was the girl of my squad. Her real name was Donna Winters. She got her name due to her last name, and the fact she was normally a stone-cold bitch. She was no-nonsense outside of battle, and would frequently get annoyed at us goofing off. She was our medic, and when we were injured, she would show her softer side where she was pretty gentle and kind. She wasn’t that bad of a shot either and could use the M203 like a sniper to blow anything away. She was a brunette that kept her hair short but hated that she did.

Parrot was probably the most annoying out of all of us, but we all treated him like a younger brother. His real name was Daniel Cross. He got his name due to his tendency to parrot what people say right back. He wasn’t the greatest shot but was always there with a spare mag which he somehow almost always had. He was relatively short, nearly almost not making the minimum requirement. But he managed it.

Daffy was our leader. His real name was Donald Barnes. He was apparently distantly related to Bucky Barnes, but not a direct descendant. He even kinda looked like him. He got his name simply because he was named Donald. He made sure to keep us as safe a possible, and was kinda like a father figure in the sense that we could always talk to him about our issues.

Then there was me. I got my nickname due to my tendency to joke while in combat. I was just the average soldier, using my M4 to surprisingly good effectiveness. A few times, I had my spider sense allow me to detect when one of my squad was about to get hurt, and I always snapped to the enemy and shot them down. 

Me and Gator finally linked up with Sparrow and Parrot. Frosty and Donald were waiting at the humvees, and we all loaded into one. Sparrow got on the mounted fifty cal. We waited for Donald to brief us and talked a little amongst ourselves. “So Joker, ya got anyone waiting for you back home?” Parrot asked, leaning against the door as the convoy began moving. “Nah.” I said with a shrug. “Nah…” Parrot muttered, and Gator punched his arm lightly. I rolled my eyes and glanced up at Daffy and Frost.

Daffy cleared his throat, and everyone quieted down. “Alright. We are currently escorting diplomatic officials to the city of Rahman. Insurgent activities around here have been very relaxed, so we shouldn't encounter too much in the way of problems.” He said, looking at all of us. “Anyone want to do a quick prayer for luck?” He added, causing everyone to groan and shake their heads, making him grin. Last time we did a group prayer (except me and Gator. Me because of my religion being different, and Gator because he was an Atheist.) an IED went off behind us and we all took that as a sign not to pray anymore. But Donald always took it in stride.

I leaned back, giving Daffy a look. “Yes, because I want to get my ass blasted apart.” I said sarcastically, making everyone but him chuckle. Daffy pouted and flipped me off. “Fuck off Joker. We both know that if it wasn’t for my praying, we would have been blasted apart...at least a day ago.” He said with a grin spreading.

We all fell into a comfortable silence before Frosty asked a question to Parrot. “You know, I just realized none of us have asked. But why do you always repeat what we say?” She asked with curiosity. Parrot shrugged, leaning against his pack. “I guess I normally just need some assurance about what I say.” He said.

I then butted in and asked Frosty a question. “Why are you normally such a cold-hearted bitch?” I countered with a smile. She just rolled her eyes. Everyone chuckled, and we fell back into silence. This was our normal routine of bickering like children. After a few minutes, I looked out the window at the vast dunes of sand. Everyone jumped when the convoy suddenly stopped, and we almost rear-ended the middle vehicle.

Daffy quickly got on the radio and asked what just happened. “There is a kid in the middle of the road, Dagger one.” Dagger two replies, the other squad’s callsign. We were dagger two, and the diplomat’s vehicle was Cloak one. Daffy swore, and we all got our weapons ready. I grabbed a mag, slapping it into the rifle and pulling back the charging handle. We had enough experience to know a kid in the middle of the road usually meant trouble.

We could see two soldiers exit the humvee and use the open doors for cover. “Halt! Turn back and away from the vehicles!” One warned, and the other translated it into the native language. The boy obviously didn’t understand, or maybe didn’t care as the next thing we hear is the soldier yell “Get back or we will be forced to fire!” but he was obviously hesitant to shoot a child.

Parrot sighed and got ready to exit the humvee. “I’m going to give them some help.” he said, but at that moment my Spider-sense went crazy. I grabbed his arm and dragged him back in. “Everybody get down!” I yelled as an RPG hit the lead humvee. A loud bang was heard, and the shockwave rattled the humvee. I look out, trying to see past the smoke of the burning humvee to check for any survivors. 

I jumped as a Soldier ran towards us, his MCU’s covered in blood. Part of his uniform was on fire, and we could hear his shrieks of agony as he banged on the door, begging for help. We swiftly exited as gunfire joined the sounds of agony. I began to fire at the dunes, seeing Insurgents standing atop and firing at us. I dropped a few before Sparrow opened fire with the fifty, chewing through anyone stupid enough to peak up. I could barely hear Daffy call us over behind our humvee to use as cover. 

 

“Holy shit!” Parrot screamed as I got around, almost shooting me in the face. I push the rifle away and yell to everyone. “What the hell is going on!?” and fire off a few rounds at the dune. “It’s an ambush! They knew we were coming!” Gator said as he looked for targets. My sense went off, and I quickly peeked around and shot a man with an RPG. He fired it as he went down, hitting some of his own guys. I went back into cover, and we all watched as Daffy tried to radio for backup.

Leaning against the Humvee, I looked at Frosty who was trying to patch up the burned soldier. He was much quieter now and seemed to have lost all energy. I crouch down and say a quick prayer for him. I also grabbed his rifle and put it in his hands. He looked at me much like a scared, cornered dog, but he still nodded at me. Frosty sighed and stood as she had done what she could for the man. 

Through burnt lips, the man spoke. “Please...give this to my wife…” He said as he pulled out a small locket. I frowned and nodded as I took the locket. “I am so sorry…” I said, looking at his name tape. His last name was Riker. I put the locket into a pouch and looked back at him. He had stopped breathing and stared up at the sky. I closed his eyes and stood back up.

“I think they pulled back.” Sparrow said, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. “I think those bastards were ten rings…” Gator said, reloading his rifle. I agreed with him, mostly due to this being their normal operating standard. Attack a convoy, grab the HVI and pull back. Luckily, they weren’t able to grab the diplomat. I looked at them all as I took a drink from my camel. 

Sparrow peaked over from the turret and sighed. “Dagger two is down. Someone needs to report-” He was cut off when a large hole was made in his throat, spewing blood everywhere as he slumped down. “Sniper!” Gator screamed as he grabbed Parrot and pulled him down. I opened the humvee, dragging Sparrow out of the turret and checking for vitals. It was pointless, for he was already dead. Frosty began to sob and took his body back into cover. He died protecting us as a soldier does for his squad.

Daffy was staring wide-eyed at his body. This was the first time he had lost a man in a fight. We all began to return fire, and Frosty grabbed her rifle. She popped out and fired a grenade from the under barrel. An explosion was heard and it was quickly followed by distant screams as the humvee began to take fire. The diplomat’s vehicle, which stood still for everything until now pulled back and offered us more protection from the fire.

I reloaded, my hands shaking as I wipe off the blood that covered my face. The blood of my friend. I began to fire at the returned enemies, and some rushed down to flank us. They didn’t make it far before we riddled their bodies with rounds. I was about to take aim at another when something bounced off the top of our humvee and landed at our feet. I looked down, realizing it was a grenade. Gator also spotted it and moved to jump on top of it. I yelled and decided to finally reveal my secret. I shot a web using my hidden web shooters and used it to launch the grenade back at them. Everyone looked at me in shock as an explosion rang out.

“What the...hell?” Frosty said, but I didn’t have time to listen as I grabbed my rifle. “Long story! Right now, fight!” I yelled and began to fire at the rapidly approaching insurgents. Everyone joined me, trying to push them back. But they kept coming at us in force, and eventually, a scream rang out as Parrot took a round to the shoulder. Frosty quickly got him into cover and began to patch him up.

Daffy swore loudly and grabbed something from the Humvee. It was Sparrow’s M249. He began to lay down suppressive fire, and I fired a grenade from my launcher. “Where the hell is our backup?!” Gator yelled as he reloaded. “Delayed! They can’t get out to us due to an approaching sandstorm!” Daffy yelled over the fire, ducking down to avoid a spray of rounds. 

“Joker!” Parrot yelled as an Insurgent popped out beside me. He raised his machete and went to slash down at me. I grabbed the blade of it, snapping it like a twig. The insurgent’s mouth opened in surprise, and I quickly stabbed him with the broken piece. I then went back to firing, shooting a few. 

A round eventually hit my chest plate and sent me to the ground. I groaned and got up to see Frosty stand up to give fire, but quickly a round found its way in her leg, making her fall with a scream. Gator retaliated with a round sent to the insurgent that got lucky. He wasn’t so lucky anymore.

Parrot got up to give some fire, but the M249 went silent as the belt ran dry. Daffy swore and was about to ditch it when Parrot threw him a mag. Daffy slammed it into the mag port for the 249 and went back to firing, but now in short bursts. I ran dry of ammo for my rifle, so I yanked out my pistol and began to fire.

Another scream was heard, and I looked back to see who was hit now. Parrot was slumped over the hood of the Humvee, blood pooling below him. I held back my tears and threw a grenade at the one who shot him. I then shot a web so it would stick to him. He didn’t get it off in time, and it exploded in his face. Parrot died a hero and did his duty to his country. 

Frosty sat up and tried to fire again, but this time the next round found its new home in her head. She fell, but not before ripping the trigger of her launcher and blasting four of the fuckers away. She went out as a fighter and was worth more than ten of those insurgents. 

 

Gator crawled into the humvee, and into the turret. He laid down fire with the fifty, not letting go of the trigger until the barrel began to melt. My spider sense went off, and I got up in time to block a shot aimed for Daffy, who was trying to grab an insurgents weapon. The shot hit me in the side of the head and left out the other end. Daffy looked at me in shock, but I ignored the pain and turned. A blinding, red rage filled my vision as I began to advance. I fired at the enemy that shot me, and I walked out in front of the humvee. I was missing most of my head and was still walking and firing while in front of the burning wreckage around me. They focused fire of me, hitting me over and over. But I didn’t stop my advance. When I ran out of ammo, Two rushed me and shot into my chest. I grabbed both of them by the neck and squeezed, breaking them.

I then got back into cover, the wounds already closing up. Daffy was dumbstruck, and Gator looked at me in both fear and...a certain degree of awe. I grabbed my knife and tried to calm down. The red receded from my vision, and I sighed. Until Gator yelled out as a truck came barreling down. It had an MG on the back, and it opened fire on our position. I was helpless as I watched my best friend, my brother in arms and someone who I cared about to get ripped to pieces in front of me. He slumped on the gun, looking at me. He died not only a fighter but a friend. 

Once the truck came around, The diplomat’s vehicle took off. I felt the rage take control again, and I began walking to the truck. Ignoring Donald’s yells for me to come back, I walked towards it. An RPG got fired at me, and I used my shooters to catch it and direct it to the truck. It exploded in a fiery explosion of metal and people.

Walking back, the fight was mostly over. There were only a few insurgents which were running back into the desert, screaming something in their native language. I later discovered they were screaming “Demon!”

Daffy apparently had gotten hit and was looking at me while slumped against a rock. He was caked in blood near his abdomen, where a shard of metal was impaling him. “Holy...hell Joker…” He said with a strained smile. I crouched next to him, not knowing what to say. I grabbed the SAW and put it in his hand. “Die with a weapon at least. I pray you enter Valhalla.” I said quietly. He laughed slightly and nodded. “We were making bets on your religion. Guess I owe Sparrow twelve bucks in heaven.” He joked, wincing at the metal.

I smiled, glad to at least be comforting him. He looked at the bodies of our friends and shuddered slightly. “Hand me...a pen and paper…” He said, and I quickly grabbed some from the humvee. He took it and wrote a few things. “Give this to the base commander. But don’t you dare look at it.” He said, before shuddering again. His eyes glazed over, and it was oddly at this moment he looked so close to his ancestor. 

I pocketed the paper, and looked around, only now noticing the five trucks rapidly approaching. I braced myself for the end when they stopped. But a noise could be heard in the distance. It sounded like two engines. Two of what looked like birds zipped overhead, and the trucks exploded into a mangled mess. The two birds landed near me, and I finally realized they were both men in armor and with wings on their backs. One ran over to me. “Is there anyone else?” The young African American man asked, and I shook my head.

He nodded to his partner and walked behind me. “Hold on man.” He said, and I grabbed onto his arms as they wrapped around me under my shoulders. I nearly screamed as we launched up into the air, his partner doing the same. We zipped through the air, the battle rapidly leaving behind us. But over the rushing wind, we heard a distant “Whoosh”.

 

The next thing I knew, the partner was hit by an RPG. “Riley!” The man carrying yelled in anguish as we rushed away. While I never knew Riley, he died saving our lives. We both fell silent, and the base finally came into view. We landed, The man dropping me and we both tucked into a roll. Everyone looked at us, and at me with my uniform torn to ribbons and me being covered in blood. A few medics rushed towards us, and the man shook his head. “Not his blood…” He said...if he only knew it was…

 

I bolt awake, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. I had a pistol in my hands and was scanning the room. I swore quietly and got up. Walking to the shower, I wash myself off quickly and throw on some clothes. They are U.S army fatigues, and I put them on under my costume. Exiting my room, I glanced at where Nat was, and find her not there. I walk into the living room to find everyone in costume. “Is everything ready?” I ask Tony, who nods in his suit. I sigh, and put on my gas mask. 

 

“Let’s go meet the press.”


End file.
